baseboard heat upstairs not working

:confused: Hi,
I'm new here but have a question as I'm trying to help out an elderly friend. Hope someone here can help me.
The heating system is 40 years old, hot water baseboard, the "boiler" is called "Instant Hot"? but there's no holding tank. My friend has gotten the heat going throughout the entire house (built in early 1800's) except for one room upstairs that runs off a third line. There are 3 lines going upstairs: 2 are hot and 1 not getting hot. Appears that there is not enough water in the system. Hasn't been open over a year to the upstairs. Lots of klunking noise going on upstairs? Need to know how to get water going into heating system. Don't know where system inlet is for heating? There seems to be not enough water in system...how to get more into system??
If there's anyone out there who can help me I'd greatly appreciate it. The gentleman who owns the house is 85 years old and his rooms are upstairs in the room not getting heat!!! Cannot afford to call a plumber or furnace repairman? I'd greatly appreciate any help given.
Thanks so much,
TK

Advertisement

baseboard heat upstairs not working

IF (big if) the "instant hot" boiler is like a regular boiler, water stays in the system from the water lines of the house. Sounds like the pipe (pipe #3) is clogged. You could check for shut-off valves that would open water into this pipe, but if it worked last year, someone would have had to turn a valve OFF in order for this to be the problem. If you are fairly certain there are no valves that could be off, then I'm afraid this is beyond the average DIYer and I would recommend calling a professional before it gets unbearably cold ( I know , I read the last sentence, but if the pipe is going to need replaced, this is a pretty involved repair) Where are you, maybe some good hearted soul would be willing to at least take a look.

EDIT: Oh, upstate NY, didn't see that the first time through, sorry.

EDIT again: If the system has been shut off to the upstairs for over a year, then it may very well be a valve someone didn't find, or forgot to open. Look everywhere you can think to look, as long as it's a water line (and as long as the other end isn't open inside the house...maybe have a few people around watching for this, just in case) opening a valve won't hurt anything and if it doesn't make the radiator hot, you can always turn it back off.